First identify exactly which furniture needs assembly
“Assemble a wardrobe” is rarely enough for a useful comparison. Two wardrobes of the same width can have different doors, internal fittings and fixing requirements. List manufacturer, model, article number, quantity and accessories. For configurable furniture, include the actual configuration, not just the range name.
Distinguish new, opened and used items. Identify missing parts, visible damage and any dismantling needed. Give every contractor the same dated list so changes can be traced in each quote.
For its assembly service offered through Taskrabbit, IKEA identifies furniture type and labour involved as price factors. This does not set a tariff for a HandMen enquiry: each independent contractor prepares their own quote.
Use a specification as the common basis for quotes
Give each item a reference, such as M1 for the bedroom wardrobe. Complete this template with your own information. Write “unresolved” where details are not yet known. Your measurements are preliminary information; the contractor carries out any necessary professional checks.
| Item | Your information | Match to the quote | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model and quantity | M1: manufacturer, article number, variant, quantity | Assembly of the specified furniture | Are all doors, drawers and inserts included? |
| Documents and dimensions | Instructions, configuration, furniture and room measurements | Assessment of the proposed position | Is a site check needed before pricing? |
| Condition and parts | New / opened / used; missing parts and damage | Assembly and any dismantling listed separately | Which parts are assumed complete and usable? |
| Location and access | Floor, lift, package location, clear workspace | Carrying, positioning and protective measures | Who brings the packages into the assembly room? |
| Fixings | Manufacturer requirements; known wall details | Assessment, fixing materials and installation | Who checks suitability and supplies the materials? |
| Packaging | Unpacking, collection point, requested removal | Collection and removal named separately | Does the packaging stay on site or leave with the contractor? |
| Appointment and completion | Delivery status, time window, intended result | Travel, adjustments and a joint completion check | What prerequisites and possible follow-up visits apply? |
Separate the lump sum, hourly basis and final amount
Ask the contractor to confirm the pricing basis: a lump sum for the specified scope, a price per furniture item or payment for actual work. A lump sum needs a clear list of furniture, accessories and assumptions. For hourly work, ask about rates, team size, billing increments and time records.
A simple arithmetic example: two people working three hours each provide six person-hours of labour. The team is on site for three hours. Establish whether a quoted hourly rate applies to each person or to the whole team, and how breaks, travel time and minimum charges are handled.
Request the final amount including all taxes and additional charges applicable to that quote, or a clear calculation basis for items that remain variable. HandMen’s tax status does not determine the independent contractor’s invoice. The general quote comparison guide explains the legal distinction between a contractual offer and a cost estimate in Germany.
Clarify additional tasks and required safety fixings
Treat an unmentioned task as unresolved when comparing quotes. Ask whether it is included, excluded or still to be priced. Carrying, dismantling and packaging removal in particular need an explicit description rather than an assumption about the word “assembly”.
A required safety fixing is not an optional saving. For example, IKEA requires KALLAX 802.758.87 to be securely anchored using suitable fixings. Have the contractor assess the requirements of your actual furniture and the supporting surface; use the furniture only with the required safety measures in place.
- Identify travel, parking, carrying routes and agreed surface protection separately.
- Record who obtains additional fittings or anchors and how they are charged.
- Specify door and drawer adjustment, tidying and packaging removal.
- For kitchens, separate furniture assembly from connections; arrange electrical, gas and water work with an appropriate specialist contractor.
Example: one furniture list, two different scopes
Suppose you need a wardrobe with internal drawers and a chest of drawers assembled. Quote A names only the main carcasses. Quote B also includes doors, drawers, required wall fixings and collecting packaging inside the property. Their totals do not yet describe the same job.
Request revised quotes for the same complete furniture list and mark the task needed for each item. Also ask whether “collect packaging” includes taking it away. This fictional example illustrates scope differences and contains no price figures. Look for a quote that clearly describes the intended result and the remaining uncertainties.
Discuss missing parts and extra work before the visit
Ask what happens if packages are missing, fittings are damaged or fixing arrangements remain unresolved. Can part of the agreed work proceed? Who obtains replacements, and how is another visit charged? Tell the contractor promptly about delivery changes.
Agree how extra work will be handled: the contractor describes the problem, proposed task, pricing basis and timing implications before you approve the addition. Record the decision against the relevant furniture reference. The broader planning guide helps sequence clearance, delivery and assembly.
Questions you can send back with the quote
Germany’s Verbraucherzentrale recommends recording scope, timing and payment terms in writing where possible. Use your furniture list to resolve these questions before placing the order.
- Does your quote cover the attached furniture list dated [date], including the listed accessories?
- Which tasks and materials are included, excluded or still unresolved?
- Is the price per furniture item, per person-hour, per team-hour or a total lump sum?
- What travel, material and other charges apply, and what is the final amount or calculation basis?
- Who assesses and carries out the necessary fixing, including suitable materials?
- What happens with missing parts, appointment changes or additional work, and how do we agree extra costs beforehand?
Use the furniture list to request an independent provider
For a referral enquiry in Wiesbaden and the surrounding area, start with the location, furniture list, delivery status and preferred dates. Keep product documents and photos ready for the subsequent discussion. Only the contractor confirms the price, feasibility and execution.
HandMen provides online marketing and enquiry referral. Before transferring your data, we name the specific independent partner and obtain your separate consent. You arrange the quote, contract, technical assessment, assembly, invoice and payment directly with that business. HandMen does not assemble furniture or provide technical construction management.
